Conventionally, many developments have been made for image scanning apparatus such as an electronic copying machine. That is, many developments have been made in improving the quality of copy images, increasing the functions of the apparatus and making the handling of the apparatus easy. For example, there is known an image scanning apparatus which is able to automatically copy a plurality of single sheets of documents one after another.
In the conventional image scanning apparatus, an original carrying an image to be processed for copying or for other applications is fed to a predetermined position on an optical reader of the apparatus. In the automatic feeding of the original, the original is fed between the optical reader and a cover. In a manual feeding of the original, the original is placed on the optical reader and then covered by the cover. The cover holds the original on the copying position of the optical reader, during the processing of the original.
In such a conventional image scanning apparatus, the original frequently fails to be correctly aligned with the predetermined copying position. Further, it is difficult to confirm that the original is aligned in the correct copying position in the conventional apparatus. Thus, many faults of image forming frequently occur, e.g., faulty copies. This problem is particularly severe when automatic plural copying is carried out.